Yefutidaolu

Chapter 376 Homesickness
Gao Jian and the Dragon King of the East Sea are having a conversation.

As is customary, some tea should be served here, but since we are in the sea, it is impossible to drink water, and there are no other beverages available.

However, there was indeed some liquid being scattered around, and Takami could smell a fragrance, which must be a unique 'aromatherapy' from the seabed.

Actually, it's quite normal. Incense is a gas in the air, so it should naturally become a liquid when it reaches the seabed.

There were various attendants and close advisors around, but it was obvious that they could not hear what Gao Jian and the Dragon King were saying.

And what they were talking about was shocking and unconventional.

Beyond the sky.

"Civilization?" Gao Jian keenly grasped the word, and his spirits lifted!
In the Divine Dynasty, the word "civilization" was rarely used to describe itself or others; it was more often used in vague terms like "orthodoxy" or "inheritance."

The word itself carries a strong, systematic, and comparable connotation!
In the Divine Dynasty, "beyond the heavens" was not a taboo term, but it remained merely a matter of "mystical discussion." Ordinary cultivators were filled with fantasies about it, yet it remained an unattainable dream. The generally accepted understanding was that only Earth Immortals possessed the true ability to set foot beyond the heavens. Gao Jian firmly believed this; the ten-thousand-year-old mysterious ice from beyond the heavens at the gate of the Imperial Academy was proof enough. He had sensed its divine essence and personally "witnessed" the terrifying scene that almost tore the heavens apart—two unimaginable beings battling in the endless void; the pressure and despair carried by the divine essence were no illusion!
And now, he was speaking face-to-face with an undeniable being from beyond the heavens! The other party was not only a true dragon, but also the Dragon King of the East Sea, revered by all the seas! The impact of this far surpassed any mystical talk.

Gao Jian struggled to process the information revealed by the Dragon King, cautiously confirming the core: "So, the existence of a void beyond the heavens, other worlds, and civilizations is an undeniable fact, right?"

The Dragon King nodded firmly, his movement causing ripples in the surrounding liquid incense-filled light. "Yes. However..." His tone carried a clear warning, "You don't need to think too much. Since the 'Severing of Heaven and Earth,' the situation has completely changed. Even Earth Immortals are no longer able to truly return or contact the outside world."

The Dragon King's voice grew deep and solemn, as if recounting a buried history:
"Before this, the Divine Dynasty was not an isolated island. There were arks sailing beyond the realm, responsible for exploration, resource gathering, and trade. Those arks were the crystallization of the wisdom and power of the Earth Immortals, and bridges connecting different worlds. However, after the 'Severing of Heaven and Earth' occurred, and the world fell into a deathly silence... these arks were like kites with broken strings, and not a single one ever returned. All of them vanished without a trace."

He paused, seemingly recalling the names of those enormous creatures:
"The largest of these divine ships was named 'Chixian'. It spanned three thousand miles and was built by several Earth Immortals. It consumed countless rare and precious materials and was considered a national treasure, but it has also disappeared."

"And those 'Celestial Beings,' you should have heard of them. They also descended to this world in specially made arks. Now, they are also trapped here, unable to return."

He withdrew his gaze and turned it back to Gao Jian.

"As for us true dragons... the situation is similar, but even earlier. We did not come aboard an ark, but crossed the void in our physical bodies. I was young and ignorant then, and I only vaguely remember that we were sent as a vanguard to explore this newly discovered world. Countless years have passed, and the true dragons of my generation have long since perished in the long years and struggles... Now, only my wife and I remain, barely clinging to life."

In the Dragon King's voice, a trace of weariness and vicissitude finally revealed itself, which was hard to conceal:
“I was young then, and now… even the appearance of my distant homeland has become blurry in my memory.”

He gazed intently at Gao Jian, his invisible gaze seemingly piercing through his soul:
"So, I'm very curious. The outer heavens themselves are not a secret. But after the 'Severing of the Connection Between Heaven and Earth,' the link between the outer heavens and this world has been completely severed. Nowadays, even if a mortal immortal risks going to the outer heavens, they can only salvage some fragments from the desolate void. And you..."

The Dragon King's voice suddenly turned sharp: "How... exactly did you come here from beyond the heavens?"

Gao Jian met the Dragon King's all-seeing gaze with a deep, bitter smile, a smile that was utterly genuine and utterly unpretentious:
"If only I had known."

Yes, it would be great if Gao Jian knew.

Upon hearing the insightful reply, the Dragon King's eyes flickered slightly, as if he were letting out a silent sigh.

"That's true. But... I have another question."

The next second, his invisible gaze suddenly became incredibly sharp, and his voice deepened, carrying an undeniable question: "Where did your demonic energy come from?"

The words have not yet been spoken!

A vast, boundless, and irresistible terrifying force descended from nowhere! Gao Jian didn't even notice any signs of the power fluctuations; his entire body was as if he had been gripped tightly by an invisible giant hand and suddenly lifted upwards!
"boom!"

Gao Jian's body was pressed against the palace's dome, carved from a single massive piece of crystal, by this immense force, leaving him no chance to resist! The immense pressure caused his entire body to groan in unbearable agony, his internal organs felt as if they were about to be crushed, and even breathing became extremely difficult! He was like a specimen, unable to move!

However, Gao Jian showed no panic on his face. He forcibly mobilized his power to protect his heart meridian, and his voice was squeezed out from his compressed chest, carrying a strange calm: "The Desire Realm. The Dragon King... Have you heard of him?"

"The Desire Realm?!"

The Dragon King's eyes widened in shock! It was as if a huge rock had been thrown into a calm, deep pool!
For the first time, his face clearly revealed a kind of... panic! Yes, not anger, not vigilance, but a panic as if he had encountered a great terror!

He stared intently at Gao Jian, who was pinned down by the dome, his voice shrill with disbelief:
"You're a demonic cultivator?! No! Your martial arts foundation is incredibly pure! Is it an eighth-rank demonic cultivator, or an eighth-rank martial artist? What kind of lineage do you possess?!"

The Dragon King seemed to be caught in a huge cognitive confusion, forcibly matching Gao Jian's power system with a terrifying concept in his understanding.

Gao Jian was under immense pressure, but he still tried his best to keep his voice steady, retorting with genuine confusion:
"I don't know what you're talking about! What demonic path or martial arts? What eighth rank? I don't know, but I... I have indeed come into contact with the 'Desire Realm'! As for how I got there, I don't know, I just came into contact with it inexplicably, that's all!"

His answer was half true and half false, but others probably had no way of knowing the truth.

The Dragon King fell silent.

The terrifying suppressive force was still there, but Gao Jian sensed that the power was no longer filled with destructive killing intent. Instead, it seemed to be conducting some kind of extremely complex deduction and confirmation.

After a long while, the Dragon King's violently fluctuating aura gradually subsided, and the invisible, immense force that had enveloped Gao Jian receded like a tide.

With a "plop," Gao Jian fell from the dome and landed steadily on the shimmering ground.

He stretched his aching muscles and bones, and looked at the Dragon King warily.

The Dragon King seemed to let out a long sigh, his flowing movements conveying a sense of relief, yet also a profound solemnity.
“So that’s how it is…so that’s how it is…” he repeated, his voice lowering, “No wonder…no wonder you could draw upon demonic energy…that’s not surprising…that’s not surprising…”

He seemed to have figured out a crucial yet terrifying question. His gaze toward Gao Jian became incredibly complex, and his previous probing and pressure subsided considerably, even carrying a hint of... indescribable meaning.

He approached Gao Jian and patted him on the shoulder. The gesture itself was loaded with meaning. "So…" the Dragon King's voice returned to its previous calm, but with a hint of barely perceptible distance, "After this, you're going back with Yuan Lu?"

Gao Jian's mind raced. The Dragon King's attitude had changed too strangely, from shock to panic, and now to "understanding" and "alienation," which made him even more convinced that the "Desire Realm" held far more weight in the Dragon King's mind than he had imagined.

He suppressed his surprise and doubt, maintaining a calm demeanor: "Yes, but I'm not sure about the exact time."

Gao Jian said casually, "He still needs some time to cultivate and comprehend in your esteemed place. Once he emerges from seclusion, he should be able to break through the shackles of the Earth Immortal realm, right?"

He deliberately made Yuan Lu's breakthrough sound like it was a matter of course, as if it would be easily achieved in a short time.

The Dragon King's azure form turned towards the deep seascape outside the crystal window, his invisible gaze seemingly piercing through the layers of water, directed towards the hidden abyss. He remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking:

"I see..." The voice was devoid of emotion, as if stating a trivial matter.

Suddenly, he turned around, and that invisible "gaze" focused on Gao Jian once again:

"By the way, sir... in the future, if you see anything in the 'Desire Realm'......" The Dragon King seemed to be choosing his words carefully, appearing somewhat hesitant, "could you... inscribe it? Or record it? And then... share a copy with me?"

Gao Jian was completely stunned.

To record what I see and hear in the Desire Realm? To share it with the Dragon King?

This request is a bit strange. Is the Dragon King interested in the sights of the Desire Realm?
"Why?" Gao Jian frowned and asked the question that had been bothering him.

He needs to know why; it involves significant risks.

The Dragon King did not answer immediately, but hovered silently, the surrounding light slowly flowing and reflecting his profound form. After a long while, a voice filled with incredibly complex emotions finally resounded deep within the magnificent Dragon Court:

"I... am a little homesick."

The voice was no longer grand and majestic, no longer calm and undisturbed, but filled with weariness, vicissitudes, and a kind of... unforgettable longing that could not be erased even by endless years.

homesick?

A dragon king from beyond the heavens, trapped in this world for an unknown period of time, who rules the East Sea... because he misses home, he wants to see what a human might see in the "Desire Realm".
Gao Jian remained silent.

The reason was too heavy, too absurd. But the emotion he conveyed from the Dragon King's simple words was so real it was heart-wrenching. It was a homesickness that transcended power and status, a homesickness shared by all living beings.

That's a brilliant insight, isn't it?
He cursed this messed-up world more than once, cursed the Divine Dynasty, cursed the East China Sea Evolution, and cursed many cannibalistic things.

Actually, he also missed the original... better world.

So, at this moment, looking at the Dragon King's figure, he finally nodded slowly, his voice clear and solemn:
"It's a word."

"Thank you." The Dragon King nodded. "I will tell the outside world that Yuan Lu is still in seclusion and is making good progress, but I don't know much about other things. I will give you a magic weapon later. Once activated, water demons will come to you. After you have recorded the scene of the Desire Realm, you can use this to call for them, and they will bring the things to me."

"As for you, do you want to go back? I can send you back to the capital."

“Alright.” Gao Jian nodded. “Then thank you very much, Dragon King. However, there is one more thing I hope you can help me with, as a reward for my observation of the Desire Realm.”

"Speak," the Dragon King said, raising his hand to signal Gao Jian to continue.

"Please trouble the Dragon King to remove the cinnabar; it's the one over there holding the incense." Gao Jian pointed behind him.

Upon hearing Gao Jian's words, the Dragon King turned around for the first time in a true sense, casting his gaze upon Dan Sha, who had been standing quietly behind him.

Dansha, whose name was called, trembled slightly, almost imperceptibly.

She unconsciously tightened her grip on the incense burner, her knuckles turning white from the force.

She raised her eyelids, her clear dragon eyes looking at Gao Jian with a complex expression, a mixture of astonishment and confusion.

But she kept her lips tightly pressed together and didn't make a sound. She knew that in this situation, in front of the Dragon King's true form, she had no right to speak.

The Dragon King's gaze lingered on Dan Sha for less than a moment; there was no scrutiny, no probing, only an indifference as if looking at an object. He turned back to Gao Jian, his voice flat and devoid of any emotion:
"Oh? Expelled from the Dragon Palace, is that it? You have a grudge?" He spoke as if discussing a trivial matter: "Then why expel him? Just kill him to save trouble."

The moment the words fell, a "hand" made entirely of azure energy, seemingly capable of crushing stars, was raised and casually pressed down on the void above Dan Sha's head!
There was no murderous intent, and no sense of oppressive power was revealed.

Only a sense of entitlement, an indifference as if dust had been brushed away!
The chilling cold of death instantly enveloped Dansha! She felt her very soul freeze, and before she could even fully feel fear, she could only watch in despair as the "hand" representing the Dragon King's will fell!
Her pupils reflected Gao Jian's figure.

"stop!!!"

A sharp shout, like a thunderclap, resounded in the solemn Dragon Court! A brilliant insight!
He took a sudden step forward, blocking Dansha's path: "She's a friend! She's a friend!!" He practically roared, afraid that if he hesitated even a second, Dansha would perish. "I told her to leave so she could stay away from the many conflicts and strife in the Dragon Palace! It's not that I have a grudge against her! She's my friend, please, Dragon King, show mercy!!"

The azure "hand" that was pressing down on the cinnabar suddenly stopped less than three inches from her head, freezing in mid-air.

(End of this chapter)